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Steelworkers Honor Ryan for Pushing Re-shoring Bill
WARREN, Ohio – U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan is urging his constituents to lobby House Speaker John Boehner to permit a vote on legislation that would provide a 20% tax credit for businesses that relocate operations from other countries to the United States.
Ryan, D-17 Ohio, is a co-sponsor of the legislation, known as the Bring Jobs Home Act. He described the bill as a “common sense measure” that would help American manufacturers and said it has bipartisan support, including from Ohio Reps. Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat, and Steve LaTourette, a Republican. The legislation would also close loopholes for shipping jobs overseas by disallowing the deduction companies can now take for costs associated with outsourcing.
“If we could get Speaker Boehner to bring it up, I think we can get it passed and then the president will sign it in to law,” he said. The Senate is expected to take up the measure next week, he said.
Manufacturing is starting to trickle back into the United States from offshore sites due to increased transportation costs from Asia and difficulties with language barriers and management of employees overseas, so tax incentives such as those offered in the bill “would really expedite that,” he said.
“We just need to get the speaker off the dime and make sure he brings it up for a vote,” he remarked.
In recognition for his role in promoting passage of the Bring Jobs Home Act, members of the United Steelworkers presented Ryan Monday with an award.
“When we have needed help, Congressman Ryan has been there from Day One,” said Darryl Parker, president of USW Local 1375, which represents workers at RG Steel in Warren. Workers there have been idled as the bankrupt company seeks a buyer for the mill. Ryan’s office is helping secure trade adjustment assistance for the workers, he said.
“This has been a battle for decades,” said Gary Steinbeck, USW district subdirector. “We’ve lost so many manufacturing jobs and finally we’ve got some attention down in Washington.”
Ryan always supports "any kind of legislation when it comes to doing something and saving American manufacturing jobs,” he added. “The problem is we needed more Tim Ryans in the House.”
The congressman reflected that he has been addressing “major issues dealing with steel” since he first took office as a state senator representing Trumbull Countyin 2001, when Copperweld Steel was in trouble -- his “baptism by fire” in the industry, he said.
“It was a really rough decade,” he said.
Ryan praised the Steelworkers as among the most resilient unions “because of what you’ve been through.”
Copyright 2012 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.